Machine for packing biscuits



July 13,1926. 1,592,795

E. P. WEBSTER MACHINE FOR PACKING BISCUITS Original Filer@ Jan. 4, 1924 8 Sheets-sheet l E. P. WEBSTER MACHINE FOR PACKING BISCUITS Original Filed Jan. 4, 1924 8 Sheets-Shee 2 o INVENTOR o@ 7M@ ATTORNEY E. P. WEBSTER MACHINE FOR PACKING BISCUITS July 13 1926.

Original lNVENTOR ATTORNEY LHV 13,1926. LQ

- E. P. WEBSTER MACHINE FOR PACKING BISCUITS Original Fi led Jan. 4, 1924 g gheets 5hee; .1

ATTGHNEY! uy i3 N326. 1,592,795

E. P. WEBSTER MACHINE FOR PACKING BISCUITS original wie@ Jan. 4, 1924 8 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY July 13 1926. 1,592,795

E. P. WEBSTER MACHINE FOR PACKING BISCUITS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Fi @d Jan. 4 1924 INVENTOR WMM MMA f ATTORNEY July 13,1926. @,gzm

E. P. WEBSTER MACHINE FOR PACKING BISCUITS- Original Filed Jan, 1, 1924 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 DWCNTOR July. 13 1926.

E. P. WEBSTER' MACHINE FOR PACKING BISCUITS 1 1924 8 SheetS-Sheet 8 Original Filed Jan.

[ik LNTOR f' www l ATTORNEY y Patented lJuly 13, 192.6'.

UNITED- STATES A 1,592,795 PATENT OFFICE.

EARL 4WEBS'LIEIR, OF NIAGARA FALLS,4 NEW YORK, 'ASSIGNf-OR T0 THE SHBEDDED wiinA'r oo MrANY, Yomr..

or NIAGARA FAriLs, NEW Yonx, A CORPORATION orimw MACHINE FOR PACKING BISCUITS.

. Application led January 4. 1924, Serial No. 684,370. Renewed May 11, 192B.

Thig" invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of food products of the :type in which the uncooked products are y placed upon a' conveyor, carried through an ovenfor baking, and, vif desired, a drying chamber, and then removed from the conveyor 'and delivered to the lace where the.

products are to be packe into cartons.

.flore particularly the present invention relates to lmechanism -for automatically Apackingtheproducts in cartons, and this mechanisin is of particular utility in connection witli'the manufacture of food products of a fragile character; such as shredded wheat l5 biscuits. .The adaptation of the invention'to that particular use will4 accordingly be described, but it is to be understood that the 'utility' of the invention is not limited to an particular type of product.

n the manufacture of hredded wheat biscuits one form'of apparatus used includes a conveyor provided with a 'plurality of pans on which rows 'of uncooked biscuits are depositedby suitable mechanism. These uncooked biscuits are carried through an oven end .drying chamber, 'and after being baked and dried, are delivered to a removal device bly which the biscuits are transferred from t e conveyor pan to a receiving" surface. One form of removal device suitable forA the purpose is that shown in my co-pending applicatiom Ser. No. 571,825, tiled June 29,'

1922. This device is provided with a plu-l rality of members, each of which is arranged to enga e a single biscuit in a group oma pan of ne conveyor, and in the operation of .the device thesemembers transferthe group of biscuits arranged-in single l'file to a receiving surface and move the biscuits over 40 this surface in successive steps. l

The present invention isfdirected to the provision of mechanism by which the biscuits may be removed from the conveyor and packed by automatic devices in suitable 5 cartons, and this mechanism includes means for insuring that each carton will receive a full charge of the biscuits, and thateach biscuit will be properly positioned in the carton. As the biscuits are of a delicate 5 structure andleasily susceptible to dama e, the mechanism is construdted so that the bis-l cuits are lipifdled individually in the transfer from the .plans tothe cartons and each biscuit is kept under separa'te control .Il throughout the movement. In addition, the

mechanism includes detecting devices which contact with the biscuits prior to their introducton into the cartons, and these devices alter the operation of the mechanism to prevent less than a full .group of biscuits being introduced into the carton at each operation of the packer.- For a better understanding of thev invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a s'de view of the biscuit removal means in position ready to engage the biscuit.

Figure 2 is a fragmentaryenlarged view of the same in position engaging the biscuit.

Figure 3 is a plan view ofthe biscuit removal means and of the packer, parts being broken away. f

Figure 4 is a detail side view partly injsection of the biscuit controlled means for 75 stopping the operation of the carton-feed means.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55, Figure 3, with parts broken away.

` Figure 6 is a section on the line 6 6, 80 Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a section on 'the line 7.-7, Fi ure 3.

"l igure 8 is a central vertical transverse section taken throu h the center of packer and the biscuit and carton feeding means thereto.

Figure 9 is a similar view taken at one side of the packer.

10 is a plan'view of thevmechanism o .ftlie packing machine located below the man-'platform tliereo'. Figure 11 is a vertical transverse section taken through the center of the cam cylinder operating the levers 'for 'feeding biscuit and cartons.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic-view of the several means for stopping the' machine throughtlie electrical connections. f

Fi re 13 is' a detail section on the line A- ,Figure12. f..

Figure 14;'is a detail side'view of the sig- 4 nal light.

With reference now to the drawings, the conveyor on which the biscuits are carried lthrough the oven is desi ated by the numerel-1, this conveyor being provided with a pluralit 'of transverse pans or trays 3 in eacliof w ich is carried a lrow of biscuits 1 arranged in a line. In the operationv ofthe n' ing given a greater de lslidable upon guide ro .a supplementary,

which the into registry with, the device by biscuits are removed .from the conveyor. This device 'may be termed .a rake, and 1t head l17, which is 18, and is termed head, therebeing also, a mainhead 17", said supplementary head beree o movement than@ is said main head. T rake frame 16 has a slot and pin connection 16" "with tlie head 17, .whereby said :trarne is capable of inde,- pendent vertically reciprocatory movement. In the movement of the parts 1n one direction, the teeth v25, of the rake engagc' be tween six of the biscuit uponthe conveyor trays 3, and remove said six aligned biscuit in single file transversely of the conveyor 1, during thestoppa'gs consequent upqnl the intermittent movement of the conveyor.

The initial operation of the rake device -reincludes a reciprocato moves-six aligned biscuit upon an inspection table 26; the"` next operation of therake causes 'the teeth. thereof (of which" there are said table.

i the descent of the rake and to lightly `eighteen) to engage between six alignedbis` cuit upon the conveyor and six aligned biscuitupon said table .and to remove the biscuit fromthe conveyor and also remove'the first six biscuitfartheialong said table, and the next operationfof:I the rake`causes .the eighteen-'teeth thereof to remove six biscuit from the conveyor andtwelve biscuit alon he supplementary head 17 o the rake is reciprocated by lever 19 having link connection 20'with said head, to thereby o crate bell levers,22, through links 23. and e evate the rake frame,';until said head 17 contacts with stop 211 ofhead 17, after which the two heads 17 and 17 are moved .as a unit with the rake in elevated position until properly located over the conveyor l, when in the return movement of the parts the head 17 is first moved to operate bell ,levers 22 and depress the rake so-{that its teeth 25 shallcngage between. the biscuit upon the conveyorggaiter-wvhioir said head contactswith stop 24,and the heads 17 :md 17 are moved as a unit, with the rakejn lowered position, to remove the biscuit from the conveyor,

Secured to the rake frame are spring iinge'rs 2B, located between the teeth 25 ofl the rake and eighteen in number, one for each biscuit-being movedalong table 26 and from the conveyor, said fingers being of U-form and adapted to descendV upon the biscuit in press upon the bi'scuit during the action of the A rake arid to thereby prevent displacement of G()v the biscuit or turning thercot upside down. The rearmost group of six rake teeth 25 are adapted aswshown 'in Figure 3of the drawings to arrange the six biscuit being Ifed upouihe table 26 4adjacent the loadin chamber `of the packer into twolgroups o 1 weaves' --three-biscuiteach', with the twolateralhiscuit of each group in converging relation,-

the adaptation being due to the two'lateral teeth 25 related to each saidfgroup'being in clined or converging. This Abiscuit arrangement is d one as a preliminary step tothe closing to of 'three,t

as they rake.

The pusher head 108 is made up ofkthree sections 108 one for each biscuit.: being fed thereby, at 108, and a spring 108d end' sections approximately ends of the arallel to the said sections being pivoted. togethr l Serviette hold ether of the biscuit'of eac'hgrou e biscuitbeing too widely space g.; are left -upon the table 2 5 byl said biscuit being pus ed thereb ,"so'

that in the operation of the' pusher hea the" biscuit' ing `into and will be fed upon the platforms 28 of the packer in 'two groups of three'l biscuit each, thetwo groups spaced apart and the biscuit of each group closetogether without necessity for any guides agalnst which the biscuit must abut to'acconiplishthis resu1t.

The followlng meansare used to feed the biscuit from the table 26 transversely of the will be fed along paths also convergthe. loading chamber of the packer, y l

-, path of the 'rake 16 upon the plunger 28 ci thepackin machine (Figs.4 8 and 10): A- rotary cy inder 99 Vis provided with a circumferential cam groove 100 engaged by.

a roller 101 of a lever l102,"the latter `being fulcrumed .at one end at 103 and at itsv other endhaving` a connecting rod 104 with. a .slide 4105, working in guides '106, said slide having upward extension 107 having at its upper end a horizontally reciprocatory pusher head turn stroke ofv the biscuit removal rake to feed two groups of three biscuiteachxr to the platforms 28 of two packing machines.

he cartons are fed to the machines. successively, the o tomend a s olded to horizontal'position and their bottom-` side flaps folded'over against the body of the carton,y being Afed to position, with their bottom o'penings in register the platforms 28' llever 152 ficrumedat one havin' alt its other end a end 153 and connecting rod ened cartons with their bot-- 108, timed to act with the reyjmeans of a I 154. wlth slide 155, workinv-.in guides" 156,

said slide having upwar oar mg at -hea 158.

engaging a circumferential-cam.grooire 159 linder 99- aforesaid, being or the purpose stated...if5

thplunger fed thereupomf extensin A157,- lts upper end the -cartonipusher1- The lever 152 hasfarollerl .i

having passed throughum'.

v212 with eccentric 77.

again lowered, this. process being repeated until four layers of biscuit are lowered into the carton. The movement of the plunger .one full stroke to luppermost position is accomplished. by a degree of vacuum in cylinder 47, act-v ablethe plunger to be moved upwardly at the prtper times by means o cams 57 up ons a 158,;said cams engaging the lower ends of reciprocatory steel strips 5 7, having notches normally in register 'with the notches between the teeth 56. Th cams have l,gearing connection 57 with ratchet ..heel 7`-,'.loose upon shaft 76h of rock lever, 76.

Foi' the 'purpose of accomplishing the step by step downward movement of the lunger, -the frame 37 is rovided with a liiteral series of four tect constitutingl a rack 68, engaged by a pawl 69 pivoted to a reciprocator verticalrod 71, a spring acting tp hold said.i awl normally pro'ected and engaged with said rack from wit out a lateral slot of a vertical sleeve 74 wherein said rod 71 works. This rod 71 'is given a vertical reciprocatory' movement by means of a linkconnection 7 5 with rock lever 76, operated by eccentric 7 7 Power being applied to the packer through pulley 205 is transmitted throuy to crank 207, the latter operating the rake or biscuit removal device 16 through lever 4 19. The gear 208 upon the shaft 206' meshes with gear 204 4loosel mounted upon shaft 203 and having clutc connection therewith at 222', and shaft 203 has caring connection 209 with the cam cylin er 99, the latter -being loosely mounted upon the shaft 206.

The shaft 203 has also operating"v connection v In case there should bd a biscuit missing from the grip of sir fed by the rake 16 to the platform 26 adjacent the acker, the imperfect group rom the machine and to substitute therefor a complete group. For

this purpose, .v the biscuits as they are fed along the platform 26 toward the acker, pass' under and slightly elevate mem 13 2, of which there is one for each of Vthe sixbiscuits about to be delivered to the' crton. Each member 2" is carried at the-lower' ends of parallel vertical'rods 2, 'which are yieldable upwardly in seats 2d of supports 2 carried b the cross head 79. The springs 2fv within t e seats lightly force the rods to the lower position and the forward rod 2 at its upper end has a slot and pin connection 2F with a' lever 2h which is fulcrumed at 2l and at one end carries a screw 2 which shaft 206 This clutch controls .i the.' operation of the 'cuits' lying-on the platform 26 in -the head 108, will bermoved by the rake is adapted to. contact and make electrical connection with a conductor rod 2, mounted in insulated blocks 2l in the frame. The rear ends of the yieldable members 2f are pivoted at2m to the rear rods 2. In the initial movement of the biscuit beneath the members, the members are tilted upwardly about pivots 2m and then are movedupywardl ,as a whole to the position shown 1n dotte lines in Fig. 4, the members then lying arallel to the surfaces of the biscuits beneat them. In this position, the levers 2h are moved, as indicated in dotted lines in the figure, so that the contact screws 2 are out of contactpwith the conductor rod 2".

The levers 2h are so arranged that a slight i movement of the yieldable members 2b caused by the initial .engagement of the biscuits with these members will cause the levers to move out of contact with the conductor rod. If a biscuit is missin from the gou of six delivered by the ra e 16 to a ositionvadjacent the packer, one of the yieldable members 2b which would ordinaril be' raised by the biscuit'will remain in its ower positionand the lever 2lx associated there'- with will also remain down with its screw- 2! in contact with the conductor rod '2F, while the other members 2" with their levers 2' are raised. A

When the rake 16 arrives at the end of its feeding movement to position biscuitsv in front of the-head 108, a contact member 4* on the rake frameentere between the spring contacts 4h mounted on insulating member 4 on the .frame. One of the contacts 4*? is connected by connection 4 with the conductor rod 2k and the other is connected by `the Y wire connection 4 to the ma et 192 (Fig. 11). The magnet and the evers 2'5 are grounded through the machine frame, and the arran ement is such that whenever' I a .biscuit is a nt from a group of six,

the fcontact screw 2 remaining in Contact witht he conductor bar 2", will brin about theenergization of the magnet and t e magnet will thereupon o erate the lever-198 which, through suitab e linkage, will cause the release of the ,clutch 222 (Fig. 10).

acking machine. 'including the Head 108.

e rake, however, 'continues its movement an'd upon the next reciprocation of thug-:rake away from the'conveyor, the group of along the curved guide-way 201 and discharged from the machine.

'Ihe operation of the packing machine bemg thus stopped, with the exception of the ra e 16, the succeeding operation of the rake will remove the incomplete group of five biscuit .from the machine along curved guidewa 201 and will substitute a complete group o six biscuit therefor.

front 'of f f the biscuitfee'd-meens'liuvingfa yiel'dnible :20 platform,mcansfoi-"successively feedin car-' 29 esperen o,

means .to pletf rni'andgto'cartons, end bisff cartons, meanslng the carton eedmeans andthe' 5"" cuii to seid platform inclu means for'successively feeding rows :of bis- 5 cuit thereto, means for operatingtiiecarton feed means andthe biscuit fecdm'eans, and 'n'iensA cooperatlng with the biscuit feed means vfor diverting imperfecbrows of bis'lcit from lthev cartons including biscuit anni j trolled mesnsfr stopping the-joperntmg mea-ns for `the 'czfi'rton'l feedmeans -andf'apart electrical' connection with the o'p'ern'tlngmeans for tl1e,'crton :feed means and said? part 'of the-biscuit' feed means and adapted to break "said connection, through' biscuit .engagement.-

f 'ZrIn e.v machine forl packing biscuit, a

tous, ineens for successively feeding biscuit cuit controlledmeansvfor s tol'ipi'ng,tlic'opl` erating means. for theca'rtoxr feed ineens-.f

andthe biscuit feedineans'tosid platform' l 3 inclndil'lga'r conductor rod, s y'ieldable'inem-f' biscuit vhaving'norr'nnlly ele'c-" Wl'ierebyA thedcfective gronlzis are removed ber.. for cachtrical connection `with said rod and'nd'apted tol break .scid connection througljbiscuit engagement, tbe biscuit feed means to said ,g5 Platform bng-ndpted during such stopge to remove mnaimperfectrow' ofibiscuit acking biscuit,

spring fingers for holding down' ,tbe biscuit, means 'for successively' feeding biscuit from saidv platform tothe cartonsend means cooperating with the biscuit feeding means cuit' i to saidj A pletforri adapted to" rrenge v'certainv of the, biscuit in. converging' i'felation -i upon'gs'sid. platform fand including a rake deviceertein ofitb'e'f-tceth-ofgwbich are inclined`,^"means'for ee'ding'biscuit successivel' ffrom saidfplatform .-t'o said cartons inc uding'jaf'sectlonsl pushcnbead .the outer sections'| o'f' wl1ich are'yildsible end parallel 'theije'nfls nf said converging-biscuit, and "nians cooperetigng ,with the biscuit' feed v -means forjdiverting imperfect-rows of biscuit'f-romtbe certons.

'for ombi'nation'of devicesafor Afeeding cartons,

' Afon*co I i,\: 'cying,groups cip-'biscuits to tous," fss'ffl with; 'referencefg-to .tlievcon've ing ldtectr devices operative' W en- 'pl of biscuits is imperfect to renconveyingfmeaiis inoperative, 'the positioning ineens; continui-ng. vin voperation cartons, 'a .clutch for con-trolling .the opere-v i'iiom the biscuit ,controlled means and toi; 'tion ofthe carton feeding .devices and of a feed asucceeding perfect row of biscuit thereto.

40 -3. In e machine for packing biscuit, Ve

means for successively feeding for successivelyl feeding rows of'biscuit ,t0 said platform; means for suc'-` essively,r

platform,

toestablish connection across said contacts at'tlie end of its operativo stroke.

4. a machine for packing biscuit` a ifm-uns Ai'or successively feeding for successively7 feedi biscai-ons, means dingyxe dable ceding rows ofbiscuit from said' p art of 'the tector devices contacting with the individual biscuits in a group. and .operative whenever a group is imperfect for releasing tbc clutch.

8.--.In a'. machine forpacking biscuits, the combinationfofeplatform, means for successively feeding 'cartons tofs position adja- -,platform toptbe .means forj-operaih cent .the lstfOrm, micans. for feeding-bis# pacliingtbiscuits, the

'biscuit'feeding means, 'und de.

- cuits to. t o .v'platformland operating to devposit the biscuits 'onftlieplatform in. groups having apredetermined arrangement, means for feeding the groups from the platform to the carton s..nndv means cooperating `witlrtbe biscuit feeding means for divertingimpcrfeet groups offbiscuits from tbe cartons.

9. In a vmachine for packing biscuits, tbc .combination of devices for feeding cartons, meuns'fo'r feeding groups of biscuits to the cartons, detector devices contacting with each biscuit in a group being fc3, these detector devices beingmoved by suoli contact,A and means for rendering'tbe carton feeding devices end'a part of the biscuit feeding means inoperative, tbe said' means being` brought into action whenever a biscuit is missing from a group so that the corresponding detector device is not moved.

10. In a, machine for pecking);` biscuitsfthe comloinetion of a platform, means Jfor successively feeding cartons to c point adjacent tile platform, means for successively feeding biscuits to che plat-form adapted to deposit 'che biscuits on the platform in groups of a predeermined arrcngemen, means for :feeding che groups obiscuis from the platform to the cartons, and means cooperating with the biscuit feeding means for diiierting imperfect groups of biscuits from the cartons.

l1. ln a machine for packing biscuits, the Combination of a platform, means for suc cessively feeing cartons to e point adjacent the platform, means for successively feeding* groups of biscuit over the platform so die cartons, and detector mechanism operative io ivert imperfect groups ci? biscuis from "lie cartons, this mechanism incinoling yieldcble members arranged to Contact with ce individual biscuits in e group, and means controlled by these members for stopping a portion of the loiscuiil feeding means.

In testimony whereof l aiix my signature.

EARL P. WEBSTER. 

